FOOD GUIDE: WHERE TO EAT IN CHINATOWN  LONDON

Happy Chinese New Year!

Ahead of the Lunar New Year, Visit London and the Chinatown Association took us on a tour of the finest traditional restaurants in Chinatown to host your CNY celebrations this year. Chinatown is a bustling area consisting of so many restaurants that it can be daunting to know which place is worth your time. Here are the top picks on where to eat in Chinatown London, happy eating!

Imperial China
A place popularly frequented by Chinese government officials when visiting London, Imperial China is a go-to for high quality traditional Chinese food. Dim sum here is divine with a huge selection of fluffy steamed buns and flavorful bouncy dumplings. The Steamed Siu Mai was delightful, especially when dipped into their delicious in house chili garlic sauce. Be sure to check out the Chinese New Year Menu during the CNY period for unique takes on the regular dim sum dishes, the Shredded Chicken Red Rice Cheung Fun is a pink version of your usual Cheung Fun and a definite winner. And if dim sum doesn’t tickle your fancy be sure to order the Crispy Aromatic Duck with Pancakes, a complete crowd pleaser and cooked to perfection here at Imperial China. 
Open: 12pm – 12am

Four Seasons
The Four Season’s Restaurants are rumored to serve ‘The Best Roast Duck in the World’, however I highly urge you to have a meal at their branch on 11 Gerard street which specialize in a different Chinese delicacy, the Hot Pot. Hot Pot is a communal experience where food is dipped by hand into a large pot in the middle of the table, similar to a fondue. As such, the taste of the broth is extremely important and the Four Season’s do take their broth’s extremely seriously. The Spicy Chicken Ma Lah Hot Pot was made with a whole slow cooked chicken inside and had a lot of flavor and spice, allowing all that was dipped in it to be coated with a layer of savoury goodness. The Stewed Beef Brisket in Hot Pot deserves a mention with its tender chewy beef in a delightfully warm sizzling sauce.
Open: 12pm – 11:30pm 

Golden Dragon 
A lovely energetic restaurant who specialize in traditional Chinese fare and bbq meats, the Golden Dragon has a great selection of proper authentic Chinese dishes. Their CNY menu consists of some of my personal childhood favorites including the Spicy Duck Tongue and Nian Gao (a type of rice cake that they only serve during New Year celebrations). Be sure to also taste their decadently flavored roast duck and whole steamed crab that they serve, claws and all on a large plate. 
Open: 12pm – 11:30pm

Bake 麵包屋
One of the most popular bakeries in Chinatown, Bake 麵包屋 is a popular place for locals and Londoners alike to pick up some fresh bread and crumbly pastries for the household or lunch. The flaky egg tarts and crispy pineapple buns are extremely popular and freshly made every day. Their signature ‘insta-famous’ sweet treat is the fish-shaped Taiyaki Buns that are filled with custard, red bean paste or soft serve vanilla or matcha ice cream. They are also known for their Bubble Waffle, a Hong Kong delicacy which they also offer with soft serve ice cream to top.
Open: 10am – 9:30pm

Post written by Steph at Steph YT Travels. Do you have any suggestions on where to eat in Chinatown London? Let me know in the comments below.